A personal training & food journal. Read about our weight loss progress at Train With Ron in Chicago, our nutritional habits and the life changes we're making to get in shape and stay healthy!

When I first looked at these pictures, I really didn’t see that much of a difference.  When I got started on this thing at 275 lbs, I knew I was overweight but I thought I carried it pretty well.  When I showed them to my assistant, who’s only known me as a 275 pound guy, her jaw dropped.  ”Oh my GOD” she said.  Then I took another look and saw what she saw as she pointed it out.

“I didn’t notice it so much before, but you were so bulky, especially your sides and waistline… and look at your face… and that huge shirt you’re wearing in the old picture…”  She was right, that shirt was a XXXL and it was the only shirt I owned that didn’t cling to my belly.  ”Look at you now, oh my god, you’re wearing a tight T shirt and there is, like, NO bulge around your middle.”  Yep… and the shirt I’m wearing in that current picture is a large.  One L, no X’s.  So, here it is:

Ahh, Hawaii (the one with the blue shirt on)... how I miss it so!

Lately I have been tracking my food like Monika and it is DEFINITELY helping.  It puts pressure on me not to eat too much.  The Livestrong website was allowing me over 2100 calories a day to lose 2 lbs a week, but the Lose It! application on the iPad / iTouch only allows me about 1800, so I’ve been using Lose It! with nominal success… I’ve gone over my calories  this week, not by much, but a little.  However, I lost 3 pounds since I started using it, and I weighed in the other day at TWR – 225 even, the lowest I’ve weighed in on that scale, ever.  Also, a new low with 27.1% body fat (on normal setting).  I’m making progress again, although the BMI chart still refers to my build as “obese”.

One thing I’ve been thinking about lately is what to do with it… I don’t want to play hockey anymore because it takes a ridiculous toll on my hips and knees and I’d like to be able to walk when I’m 70… I am not really into the long distance running thing… I am not very good at basketball plus I’m too short… tennis?  Racquetball?  I’d like to find a sport, preferably a team sport that I can play to take advantage of my newly regained strength and endurance, but I’m not sure what yet.

I’ll think about it… I’m open to ideas too, so if you have an idea I’d love to hear it!